A wine fan in South Limburg

Jan Jaap went on a wine tour with the BOB team to South Limburg. He shares his favorite spots in this blog post.

To eat

Dormio Wine Hotel

We were lucky enough to have lunch at the Dormio Wine Hotel. The team is still in the soft opening phase and is currently only open for dinner. But believe me, the food was already excellent, as was the exceptional wine list. We had a morillon (the Austrian name for Chardonnay) made in the style of Chablis, and it was incredibly good. Then we went to Geisenheim Connection, a project by the Geisenheim University of Applied Sciences and local winemakers to create exciting, innovative wines. We drank Riesling, a collaboration between Johannes Busch (son of Clemens Busch) and Marc Baum. We finished with another Austrian wine, a first-timer: an Austrian Nebbiolo. In short, truly special, unusual wines that were not only exciting but also simply very good.

Dormio Wine Hotel, Valkenburg. Check the website for more info .

Gerardushoeve

Good food, great wines, good service, well priced and a beautiful view of the Limburg landscape.

Gerardushoeve, Epen. Check the website for more info .

Cinq

This is the perfect spot for a quick lunch or dinner on the Meuse River. The menu was impressive, especially the bouillabaisse—the best I've ever tasted. The wine list is small and compact, but it includes a delicious Chablis, and the Crémants de Bourgogne were also a hit.

Cinq, Maastricht. Check the website for more info .

Café Chic

Café Sjiek is a Maastricht institution. It always feels like coming home. Reservations aren't necessary; you simply walk in at random. The food here has never disappointed, and the wine list is full of surprises. Here you'll find what's possibly the best zoervleisj in Limburg. The menu changes regularly, the service is excellent, and the atmosphere is relaxed.

Café Sjiek, Maastricht. Check the website for more info .

Noon

Noon is a trendy spot with a terrace overlooking the Meuse River. They have a compact but attractive wine list. We enjoyed a fine white Marsannay Cuvée Charlie 2019 from Domaine Charles Audoin, and an older Riesling from Heymann-Löwenstein Röttgen from 2014. Reservations are required.

Noon, Maastricht. Check the website for more information .

To sleep

Dormio Wine Hotel Valkenburg

It Dormio Wine Hotel is the Netherlands' first wine hotel, located in Valkenburg. We were given a tour of the hotel, including a look at the themed rooms. Each room is linked to a winery, and the winery was also involved in the room's design. It's incredibly well done, and a hotspot for any wine fan. There's also a wine shop and wine bar with exciting, truly surprising wines at very reasonable prices. All of this under the watchful eye of Miranda Wennekes.

The Freinage

Have you always wanted to sleep in Thinking about a yurt ? Then this is your chance. This is truly a unique location. It's literally a house within a house. A large, fully equipped open kitchen allows you to whip up a delicious dinner in no time, provided you're a bit of a cook yourself. Atop the inner dwelling is a yurt where you can truly unwind. And to complete the zen experience, there's also a sauna (for one person, wonderfully peaceful). Fancy a trip to Maastricht? It's just a fifteen-minute drive away. This is the ideal base for a longer stay in the region.

Townhouse Hotel

Super hip and fun hotel within walking distance of the now incredibly trendy Wyck district. Nice rooms, good breakfast, and affordable. Looking for a moment of complete relaxation? Then you've come to the right place. this hotel You're in the right place with a genuine city spa in the nearby hotel, where you can relax for free in one of the three different saunas or the hammam. The hotel is literally a one-minute walk from Maastricht Central Station and about a 10-minute walk to the city center, making it the ideal base.

Doing

Noorbeek Wine Walking Route

This wine route A tour through Noorbeek takes you literally past all the vineyards in and around the village. The route is approximately seven to eight kilometers and is well signposted along the way. While you're there, you'll also find the Heerenhuys d'r Pley Wine Estate in the village of Noorbeek, which produces one of the finest Chardonnays in the Netherlands (called Noordal). The wines at the estate are sold out, but are often available at local restaurants and bars.

Limburg wine marathon

Are you more athletic? Then perhaps the Limburg Wine Marathon Something for you, with various distances that not only take you past vineyards, but also through the beautiful Limburg landscape. Win!

Vineyard Open Days

The third weekend of September (Saturday, September 17th and Sunday, September 18th) are the official Vineyard Open Days. Most winegrowers open their businesses to visitors that weekend. It's the ideal way to get to know Dutch wine even better. Around forty Dutch wineries are participating in the open days. Want to know more? Then visit the website. Dutch wine information for more information and participating wineries.

Visits

Holset Domain

If you love bubbles, you definitely shouldn't miss a visit to Domein Holset. At Domein Holset, they only make bubbles. They've experienced tremendous growth in recent years. The wines have become even better, and fortunately, there are more available. These are sparkling wines with a distinct identity. Since last year, they built a brand-new cellar, meaning the entire sparkling wine production process takes place in the Netherlands, including aging on lie and bottling. Previously, a German cellar was located here. Sparkling wine cellar For this, you can book a tour with a tasting here, which is definitely worth it. Want to stay longer? Sparkling Winery Holset is also a B&B and a great place to stay overnight with a view of the vineyards.

Stokhem Domain

Jeroen has one of the best locations in the Netherlands for producing Pinot Noir. A stunningly beautiful south-facing slope just outside the village of Wijlre. This year (2022), he's planted additional Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, so we'll be seeing a lot more of it. Stokhem Domain Hear. It's fun to visit, but make sure to schedule an appointment in advance. Jeroen can often be found in the vineyard.

Saint Martin

The largest wine estate in the Netherlands, with approximately 28 hectares of classic to modern grape varieties. It features a modern winery that uses gravity flow as much as possible. website you can easily book a tour and tasting.

More of a wine fan in…

Wine enthusiasts flock to all corners of the world. From road trips to the Ahr to quick city breaks in London, you'll find all the travel and dining tips from Le Club des Vins here.

Guest blogger: Jan Jaap Altenburg

Jan Jaap Altenburg holds a WSET4 certificate and has previously served as sommelier at companies including Bentinck in Amerongen and Maeve in Utrecht. Since June 2023, he has been running his own wine bar in Amsterdam: Vindict . Between serving and tasting, he's always busy with new projects. He's previously created a non-alcoholic gin, experimented with cider and sparkling wine, and recently bottled his own blend from Wijngoed Wolf – available for tasting at Vindict, of course. This isn't surprising, as Jan Jaap is a great lover of Dutch wine. He also previously helped curate the selection for Wijnwinkel BOB in Amsterdam.